The Labor enquirer., 1887-11-26
WHIsPEns ~ BsyoLUTIos.
Great Doelal - Helltlell changes Are
Il ~ NenF Ruture.

The Rev. James D. Rankin
preached a sermon toyoung men,
at the United Presbyterian church
lin Denver last Sunday morning.
Touching on the social and indus
trial questions he said:
"On the distant horizon are
many dark clouds. and out of the
gathering blackness comes the
moaning Of storm. Wider and
wider grows the breech between
capital and labor. From north,
south. east and west, every breeze
bears to Chicago the whispers of
revolution. From London streets
and Trafalgar square we hear the
wild tramp of the surging masses,
where capital has crushed honest
labor. and red-handed anarchy is
rushing through the breach.
"Upon our shores is being
landed every day the off securing
of the earth. the sworn enemies of
government and the church, while
on every hand communistic lead
ers, refugees from Europe, stand
by the opening gates of anarchy
ready to cry havoc and let slip
the dogs of war" Covering our
land like a flood is scepticism,
scattering its principles broadcast,
filling the press with its poison,
corrupting the morals OF the
young, stealing the life of the
church and driving from the minds
of the people every feeling of re-
sponsibility to God. Before these
aud other great evils our Christian
institutions are trembling like the
reeling masts of a ship rocked by
storm. We live in the worlds
crisis. Change written on all.
We are confused by the babel of
great agitations and stunned by
the shock of conflicting interests.
Great social, political and religious
revolutions are in the near future.
Long they have tarried but now
demand settlement and will
not be silent. Government and
the Church of God must meet
them. The shock of that meeting
will be felt around the world. Our
best statesmen turn white, anxious
faces to the future and try to read
what is written on the banner of
the bovs," for not what our dam
gers are but what the boys are
will decide the future of our coun-
try"
1t is very evident that this
preacher realizes the gravity of
the situation of affairs as regards
the struggle between the rich and
poor-the struggle of the former
to retain the results of their thiev-
cry, and of the latter to be allowed
possession of that which they are
entitled to by the laws of God and
of equity, the full results of their
toll. 1t is evident also that he
knows and feels in his heart that
the platitudes and milk and water
slop he deals out to his congrega-
tion is not tending to solve the
great problem Of the age. He
admits that his congregation and
that of every preacher is gradually
fading away and narrowing down
to a few rich men who keep him
and his brother preachers, yet he
dare not go to the bottom and
probe for the causes which are
emptying the churches of all but
that class whom Christ drove from
the temple-the money changers.
He admits that the churc hes "are
trembling like the reeling masts
of a ship in Storm" that capital
has crushed honest labor" that
"Change is written on all" and
that great social and religious
revolutions are upon US. and yet
this preacher who sees all this
dare not trace out causes and
effects. He would loses his fat
lob preaching to the well-fed